QuestionThankyou for your speedy response-------------------------
I think that what you are saying is right, I think we will try to disable the theft device. To clarify, our car starts then dies then we get absolutely no response It does not turn over any more. Also, I think this has happened before when i have started the car and pulled the gear into reverse extremely soon after turning the ignition. Probably with the same speed a theif would use.( I suppose anyway lol)
Thanks again
v
Followup To
Question -
My '99 Town and country (limited) starts and then immediatley dies then it will not turn over at all. It does not respond, the battery is good and the starter is fine. We have to wait several hours and then it just starts right up. It seems like a security device and there is definently something going on with the electrical system but of course once the car starts up we take it to the dealer and they find no codes for it. Heeeelp, this is ever so frustrating.
Our vehicle has about 97,000 miles and is only 6 years old. Is it time to get a new one?
Answer -
Hi Vanessa,
No, don't get a new one yet. One point of clarification: when you say "won't turn over at all" do you mean the starter motor won't work, or that it will work but the engine will not fire-up despite that the starter motor is cranking it?
Does the vehicle have a theft security system? If it does, and the behavior is that the starter motor works but the engine will not "catch and run" then I suspect that you have a faulty security system that is telling the engine controller to turn off the fuel injectors to keep you from stealing the van. The easiest way to defeat this is to disconnect the theft security module circuit. It is located above the glove box and you will need to remove the glove box to get to it. VERY IMPORTANT: when you gain access to the module (it will have a 21- or so pin plug on it) only unplug that plug from the module while the engine is up and RUNNING at that very moment. Otherwise the system will think you are a thief and permanently shut down the engine until you can tow it to a dealer for reprogamming.
If you don't have a theft system, then all above is irrelevant. And you then have a problem with an intermittant no start, or an intermittant no starter motor situation (depending upon the answer to my first question).
What you need to be able to do is a little electrical testing to find out why WHEN you are having the problem. So let me know and we'll go from there.
Roland
AnswerHi Vanessa,
Thanks for the kind evaluation.
Now because you say that you get no response from trying the starter motor position with the ignition key, that would I believe take the focus off the theft system. If that were the culprit I would expect the starter motor to crank the engine but the engine would refuse to "catch"; but you might ask the Chrysler service manager if that is indeed what to expect if the vehicle is shut down by the theft system.
So I would suggest that you focus on the circuit that operates the starter motor. The circuit depends upon a connection thru the ignition switch, to a starter relay in the power distribution center under the hood, to a solenoid relay at the starter motor, and finally to the starter motor windings. There is a tangential circuit that is inserted between the ignition switch and the starter relay that also requires that the trans mission be in park or neutral.
So when this happens the first thing to do is go under the hood to a long thin box located next to the battery on the driver's side. Open the lid, and have a helper try to start the car. Listen for the sound of a click coming from one of the small square boxes in this power distribution center. If you don't hear a click, then you either have a flakey ignition switch, a maladjusted park/neutral safety switch, or a faulty starter motor relay (the square box that should make the clicking sound). Most likely it is the safety switch, so try to move the gear shift lever a little bit one way or other from where it normally rests when in park or neutral and try the ignition key again. If that works, then the switch needs to be examined for adjustment or replacment if adjustment doesnt fix it. If that doesn't solve the no starter motor problem, then you need a volt-ohmmeter or neon glow light to test for voltage getting to the relay from the ignition switch (or not) and to measure the patency of the tangential pathway thru the safety switch.
If you get the soft click, then the problem is with either the wire from the relay to the starter motor solenoid, or the starter motor solenoid or the motor windings, and indeed it might also be a problem with the switch contacts in the starter relay not conducting properly. But all that too requires the meter or glow light and some familiarity with where these component are located and a willingness to go to them with meter/glow light in hand.
But in either case, see which is the response inside the long thin box and that will be helpful to whoever takes the next steps in solving the problem. When you have an intermittant like this, you have to make observations of behavior while the problem is occuring, otherwise the shop can't do much to solve it without spending alot of time trying to get it to misbehave while it is at their shop. So anything you can do will save time and money.
Roland
